Narrative:

I was tracking the 240 degree radial to lwm. I had contacted lwm tower and had received instructions to land on runway 32; enter right downwind; make right traffic and report mid field. As I crossed the VOR and prepared to make my turn to downwind; I saw on the left side of the airplane what appeared to be another airplane (or so I thought). I immediately executed a right turn and started to climb out of the traffic pattern; instead of the required left turn. I was quite flustered at this point; thinking I had just avoided a midair collision. The tower then asked what was going on and was I going to land. I replied that I needed to climb (what I meant to say was that I wanted to leave the traffic pattern). I had gotten myself a little disoriented. I was momentarily confused about whether I was landing on runway 32 or runway 23. I quickly got myself under control and told the tower that I would still like to land. The tower gave me instructions to execute a 180 degree turn to return for landing on runway 32. I did this and landed without incident. Once on the ground the tower asked for more clarification as to what happened. I explained to him that I thought I saw other traffic and that startled me and for a few moments I was disoriented. After I thought about this; what I think I saw was most likely a hawk that was circling close to the airport. What I saw was something flying very close to my plane and it sent a charge through me. I discussed this with my CFI once I was on the ground. The disorientation only lasted a few seconds; but I made a bad decision in that time. A sudden rush of adrenalin can have; potentially; devastating consequences. I need to make sure I don't let a small; startling distraction create a bigger problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER WARRIOR PLT ENTERING THE VFR PATTERN AT LWM MISTOOK A BIRD FOR AN ACFT CLOSE BY AND CLBED OUT OF THE PATTERN.

Narrative: I WAS TRACKING THE 240 DEG RADIAL TO LWM. I HAD CONTACTED LWM TWR AND HAD RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO LAND ON RWY 32; ENTER R DOWNWIND; MAKE R TFC AND RPT MID FIELD. AS I CROSSED THE VOR AND PREPARED TO MAKE MY TURN TO DOWNWIND; I SAW ON THE L SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE WHAT APPEARED TO BE ANOTHER AIRPLANE (OR SO I THOUGHT). I IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A R TURN AND STARTED TO CLB OUT OF THE TFC PATTERN; INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED L TURN. I WAS QUITE FLUSTERED AT THIS POINT; THINKING I HAD JUST AVOIDED A MIDAIR COLLISION. THE TWR THEN ASKED WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WAS I GOING TO LAND. I REPLIED THAT I NEEDED TO CLB (WHAT I MEANT TO SAY WAS THAT I WANTED TO LEAVE THE TFC PATTERN). I HAD GOTTEN MYSELF A LITTLE DISORIENTED. I WAS MOMENTARILY CONFUSED ABOUT WHETHER I WAS LNDG ON RWY 32 OR RWY 23. I QUICKLY GOT MYSELF UNDER CTL AND TOLD THE TWR THAT I WOULD STILL LIKE TO LAND. THE TWR GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO EXECUTE A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN FOR LNDG ON RWY 32. I DID THIS AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ONCE ON THE GND THE TWR ASKED FOR MORE CLARIFICATION AS TO WHAT HAPPENED. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I THOUGHT I SAW OTHER TFC AND THAT STARTLED ME AND FOR A FEW MOMENTS I WAS DISORIENTED. AFTER I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS; WHAT I THINK I SAW WAS MOST LIKELY A HAWK THAT WAS CIRCLING CLOSE TO THE ARPT. WHAT I SAW WAS SOMETHING FLYING VERY CLOSE TO MY PLANE AND IT SENT A CHARGE THROUGH ME. I DISCUSSED THIS WITH MY CFI ONCE I WAS ON THE GND. THE DISORIENTATION ONLY LASTED A FEW SECONDS; BUT I MADE A BAD DECISION IN THAT TIME. A SUDDEN RUSH OF ADRENALIN CAN HAVE; POTENTIALLY; DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES. I NEED TO MAKE SURE I DON'T LET A SMALL; STARTLING DISTR CREATE A BIGGER PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.